One Last Detour
by Cyberspace
Summary: A year after the Opal Deception, Artemis goes on one last detour... or is it really the last? Artemis discovers that it isn't easy for him to give up what he had valued so much for so long. Oneshot.


**_Welcome to my... (thinks and counts in her head) fourth Artemis Fowl fic! YAY!_**

**_So, for the introduction. This is what I have recently started to think: am I honestly the only one who's upset by Artemis's going straight? Of course not! There must be SOMEONE out there who feels the same as I do; that Artemis shouldn't give up his criminal acts. That we love him, just the way he is. This is the reason why I wrote this fic. I hope it will provide hope to those out there that are so depressed thinking of Artemis's supposed "utter straightness" and even suffer from insomnia and other extreme symptoms. So here you go._**

**Disclaimer: **FOR THE LAST TIME, I DON'T KNOWN ARTEMIS FOWL. I DON'T. GOD KNOWS I WISH I DID, THOUGH...

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**One Last Detour**

The light that was coming from Artemis's laptop monitor was brighter than the sunshine seeping through his half-blinded windows. The sound of Artemis tapping away on his computer was enough to drown the birds' chirping outside. The day was bright, yet Artemis's room so dim; his room matched his mood perfectly, while the sky did not.

It wasn't that he had any reason to be depressed. At age fifteen, Artemis already had a long list of feats that he could show off to anyone: kidnapping a fairy and holding her for ransom, rescuing his own father from the Russian Mafia, and breaking loose from a series of intricate traps that were set by a man that possessed the highest human technology. Also, as cliché as it seems, his last deed was about a year ago when he saved the world (from a vicious pixie seeking revenge). Indeed, at a mere age of fifteen, Artemis had gone through more than a full-fledged adult could ever dream of experiencing.

Yet something about his last achievement was nagging him. In a way, his last achievement was a turn point in his short life. After rescuing the C-Cube, he was just about to make the U-turn; however, the loss of his memories caused him to go back to the beginning of the road, right where he started at a mere age of twelve. There he had stood, like a broken-down car, the fuel of morality having all run out. It seemed as if the damage was irreparable, but that was when he met Holly for the "second first time." Artemis, who had been as stubborn as a boulder, eventually began to feel himself edging forward again. The regain of his memories caused him a rapid acceleration. He skidded through the road as fast as can be, and without hesitation, made the U-turn.

Now here he was, sitting in front of a blinding LCD monitor with nothing better to do, slowly beginning to question his decision, the promise he made to Holly. Artemis Fowl the Second, going straight…could it really happen?

Entirely giving up on his criminal record and keeping his nose clean for once? Could it honestly happen? Really?

_Of course it could happen,_ Artemis thought, closing his eyes in mock content. He was perfectly satisfied this way, just listening to his mother Angeline bustling around in an attempt to tidy up the gargantuan manor. He was already looking forward to the day ahead of him, another day when after helping with the cleaning, he and Butler could step outside, get in the car… and… and go… go to…

Where? Where would he go? Exactly where was his life leading to? Brilliant as he may be, his real thing was crime. Now that he had given that up, what would he do for a living?

There were many other choices, if he didn't think about something even more important than ability: pleasure. It was true that Artemis was considered nearly omniscient in many different categories. But with pleasure, it was a totally different story. Artemis did not enjoy studying science and submitting articles under various pseudonyms. As a matter of fact, it wasn't exactly his hobby to learn anything. The only reason he did it was because it was easy for him to absorb and he wanted to show the world how wrong they were.

But oh, the thrill – the thrill when after several hours of labor, he finally succeeded in hacking a bank's security system, when he tricked someone into giving him the money his hands grasped (figuratively) around the treasures he had embezzled – was all too intense for him to give up.

Too intense. Too tempting. Too much, just too much for him to give up…

While Artemis was lost in his reverie, his hand was edging toward his mouse; when his fingers curled around it, he finally realized where he was. Before he knew it, he was typing in the website for a major bank in Europe. There he stared at the screen for a few seconds, trying to take in the wonderful feeling he hadn't felt in so long.

His hands moved rapidly around the keyboard, as graceful as a ballerina. He knew what he was doing; now _this _was his profession, this was his _life_. Nothing could and ever will stop Artemis Fowl the Second for doing what he wanted. _This_ is what he should do for a living. This was just who he was. No one could ever change that.

Numbers flashed and reflected off his piercing blue eyes, tinting them green. He was unaware of his face spreading into that familiar vampire grin. That smile, which no one had seen for so long. It was all coming back to him: the glory that his extraordinary flair for crime had brought him. It was all coming back.

The speed of his typing had now become phenomenal. He was moving busily, energetically, and almost frantically. It had been a long time since he had last done this, so he was afraid that he might have forgotten; he couldn't have been more wrong. Now Artemis had no doubt that he would always keep this skill he had for the rest of his life.

He successfully hacked into the bank's security system. It wasn't the hardest thing to do, for he had seen more complicated codes. He smiled in a "thank you very much" sort of way, then continued with his work. All he had to do was transfer part of the bank's account into his account. Yet for some reason, he suddenly stopped.

Artemis felt a trickle of sweat falling down along his nape, and he was confused. He had never blinked an eye during his work; this proved just how much weaker he'd gotten. With this realization, he felt ashamed yet also felt a vague sense of triumph.

_Do it,_ Artemis thought, closing his eyes. _Just do it. _His entire body vibrated with the need to burst. It seemed as if the shivers would intensify as every second passed. The accomplishment that he was so close to making caused him to explode with guilt and excitement, all at the same time.

The emptiness he had felt for quite some time now… it would soon be gone… _For God's sake, just do it!_

_On the count of three,_ Artemis thought, feeling a bit childish at the same time. _One… Two…_

Three.

As soon as he clicked the mouse in his hand, there was a sharp knock at his door. Artemis is not a person who gets scared easily, but this made him practically jump out of his chair. He shut his laptop a tad too violently and calmly said, "Come in."

The door swung open, and the form of Artemis's trusty bodyguard Butler filled the doorway. Artemis knew well enough that Butler was not considered formidable just because of his size; he also had the incredible knack of never missing a thing. As Artemis had expected, the butler's face wrinkled into a squint of confusion, and then this look turned into one of suspicion.

"What have you been doing, Artemis?" Butler asked, a bit too blatantly.

Artemis also knew that he himself was a very good liar, yet Butler always knew better than to believe him. He also knew that Butler tended to let things slide rather than persistently trying to get an answer. Having registered this in mind, Artemis coolly replied, "After almost a year of idleness, I came to my senses and decided that I should attempt to accomplish something for the rest of my life… something instead of crime. I've been researching, Butler. I've recently been trying to find a science project to work on."

Butler's look was impassive, but Artemis knew that look well enough to realize that he didn't believe him. However, being the broad-minded guardian he is, Butler decided to let it slide. "Come downstairs. Your mother wants to take you out for lunch."

"I shall see you in a minute," Artemis said as the door shut softly.

As if it was always there, the blush in his cheeks began to resurface, and once again his mind was overflowing with the feeling of contentment. He stared at his screen once more in a triumphant sort of way, and walked out of his room to meet his mother.

As he smiled back at his mother, Artemis wondered if he would actually quit crime someday; after a few moments of contemplation, he decided that he would. It was just that quitting criminal activities was just like quitting drugs. You have to reduce the amount little by little, so that both your mind and body will not be shocked by the dramatic change.

He didn't know when that day, the day he would finally give up crime for good will come. What he did know was that it won't come any time soon. This thought produced a mischievous smile on his face that he managed to wipe off rather quickly.

"Shall we go?" inquired Artemis, holding the door ajar.

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**_I feel sadder now...too bad in the actual book he has actually given up crime for good...:(_**


End file.
